Tag Archives: braids

If you are just starting out with natural hair, let me tell you something. No matter what length, colour or texture of hair you have–natural hair is so beautiful. You have living art on your head, you have an enviable headpiece that is designed to stand out! My biggest advice is don’t abuse your hair trying to make it look like someone else’s head. GIve it lots of love and keep it protected this winter! I’m still on week 10 of my hair twist challenge (and okay, I do cheat sometimes and take my hair down for date night!) but it’s made a very noticeable difference being twisted or braided for the majority of the day or week. Believe it or not, you look JUST as beautiful with braids/twists as you do the trendy big Afro hair!

Doesn’t it feel damn good waking up every morning knowing you have been blessed with Afro hair? And yes, it can get dry and be fickle–but would you really switch it for any other kind of hair? Another great winter trick if you’re not 100% comfortable with keeping your hair in braids/twists but want it protected is to do the braids/twists then wear a cute hat outdoors, and leave out a sprig or two of kinky bangs. This way, when you return home, you can quickly re-twist the 1-3 pieces you undid. Voila. Another tip to feel more confident about rocking natural hair braids and twists which may seem a bit less unglamorous than extensions is to add some shine to the hair. You can infuse grapeseed oil or olive oil with aloe vera gel for the sheen, and I find my hair very shiny after co-washing with a can of coconut milk.

I am challenging myself to, once and for all, shed my identity created and shaped by Western ideology; and to embrace African ideologies and principles. My mind and soul is in Africa, but my body is in Canada. Why should we be competing with the makers of Western culture instead of experiencing the authenticity of our own culture because the bottom line is we are Africans outside of Africa. We are Africa’s lost souls, and we need to reconnect with Mother Africa. If you put on a headscarf and an African dress, do you look any different than a sister in Ethiopia or Nigeria? No. Because we are all one.

It is not an easy thing to aspire to, but I challenge you too whether you are at school, working or a combination of the two… rediscover what looking more like an African, and less like a European/American/North American looks like. I cannot even shop at the mall anymore, I do not see anything there that is representative of my culture. Zara. H&M. Urban Outfitters. Do we all really want to look like a manufactured Western ideal or do we want to reach higher and awaken the divine power within us. Do we want to operate on a higher level, do we want to be peasants and followers; or empresses and leaders? Analyze your life, there is always a Western idea lurking…banish it. Operate higher. You are worth so much more.